Royal Caribbean Places 2004’s Biggest New-Build Order

September 12, 2004

Royal Caribbean, which caused a flurry of anxiety in the cruise world when it announced it had requested an extension on its option to build a second Ultra Voyager vessel, confirms today that it will build the ship.

This is intended as a sister ship of the first Ultra Voyager, which is currently under construction at Turku, Finland-based Kvaerner Masa-Yards. The follow-up model will also be approximately 15 percent larger than the cruise line's Voyager class of ships. The new class of ships will feature some firsts -- 18 stories high, 22 knots of speed and a 3,600 passenger occupancy -- but will also include many of what are now Voyager-class standards, such as the ice skating rink and central promenade.